


Take The Deal

by dutchydoescoke



Series: Sucker Punch [2]
Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-08
Updated: 2012-08-08
Packaged: 2017-11-11 17:29:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/481058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dutchydoescoke/pseuds/dutchydoescoke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The aftermath of Mike getting called to the stand during the trial run, where Mike buries himself in paperwork and avoids everyone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take The Deal

**Author's Note:**

> Read [The Plaintiff Would Like To Call...](http://archiveofourown.org/works/478636) first.
> 
> Also, dudes, thank you for the awesome comments and all the kudos on that. :) Glad to see my first attempt at Suits fic went well.

Mike sits on Donna's doorstep, waiting for her to get home.

"I'm sorry," he says, when she walks up. "Turns out you didn't need to be there. Sorry for making you."

Donna, who had been looking annoyed at him, just sighs and shakes her head.

"I heard everything, Mike. I figured Louis would take that route with someone. I had expected it to be me, though," she says and Mike shrugs, sighing. "I mean, that's just who Louis is."

"Yeah, that's just who he--oh my god," Mike says, blinking at her with what Donna has referred to as a 'lightbulb expression' before grinning and grabbing his bike. "Thank you, Donna! I can fix this!"

Donna blinks as Mike bikes away, shaking her head and going inside.

* * *

Mike gets himself to Pearson-Hardman and starts using every resource he can to get his hands on Tanner's files, setting himself up in the conference room and starting to look through them. Tanner fights dirty and Mike knows that, so he's going to find something, no matter how hard he works.

He keeps digging, only stopping for the trial run, although he ignores everyone while he's in there and only goes so he doesn't get yelled at. This week has been shitty enough without getting in trouble for not showing up for the trial run. He avoids the associates, because the gossip and bitching has been the absolute worst since Mike was pulled to the stand.

Hardman comes and goes and Mike keeps working, talking to Jessica when she comes in and trying to keep himself in check when he talks about Harvey being disbarred.

Then Harvey himself shows up.

"Hardman got Tanner to settle," Harvey says by way of greeting, and Mike's thankful he goes with that news, rather than trying to talk about what happened before. They talk for a moment, Mike admitting that he wanted to use Tanner's history against him. Then Harvey says he's not taking the deal.

"You don't trust Daniel," Mike says, sighing a little.

"This isn't just about me, every partner is--"

"Harvey. Everybody is already paying for this. You know, I convinced Donna to show up to testify. Not that she was needed, but I still got her to show up," Mike replies, cutting him off. "You know why she did?"

"Why?"

"Because I made her do what I needed instead of what she wanted. I did what you do," Mike says, trying to keep himself in check so he doesn't just start shouting. "Look where that's gotten us." Harvey shakes his head slightly before changing the subject.

"What'd Hardman find in those files?"

"I don't know. And I don't care. Because he managed to get every last one of us off the hook. And before you even talk about how he can't be trusted, _it doesn't matter right now_. The deal he got means you don't get disbarred. That's all that matters," Mike replies, packing up the files open on the table and sighing. "Take the deal, Harvey. Don't let it go to trial."

"And why shouldn't I let it go to trial?"

"Because you will lose. And it'll cost us all a hell of a lot more than whatever money Tanner's asking. And if you don't realize that by now... Then maybe," Mike pauses and shakes his head, sighing. "Then maybe I shouldn't be the one learning from you. Maybe you shouldn't be the one I'm learning from."

With that, Mike grabs his jacket and walks out, because he _can't do this_. He knows Harvey watches him leave, can feel his eyes, but Mike doesn't look back. He grabs his bag from his cubicle and goes home, getting in as late as he can cut it the next morning. He avoids Harvey, Jessica, and Hardman, keeping to his cubicle, not wanting to hear the result of the partner vote.

He knows it'll go to trial and they'll lose, and it'll end with Harvey being disbarred, and Mike really doesn't want to think about that possibility.

About five minutes after the partner meeting ends, the gossip trickles down to the associates' level. Hardman wants them to vote on whether or not Jessica maintains her managing partner status. Mike deliberately blocks any news about whether they're settling or going to trial, right up until Louis shows up at his cubicle.

"What, Louis?"

"Harvey settled. Harvey. What did you do?" Louis asks, and Mike blinks. He hadn't expected that.

"I didn't do anything," Mike answers, picking up a few files he'd been working on for Harvey and getting up. "And if you'll excuse me..."

He practically runs up to Harvey's office, ignoring Cameron, because as much as he tries, he's no Donna when it comes to keeping people out of Harvey's office. Mike sets the files down on Harvey's desk so he has his excuse for being up here laid out before he starts speaking.

"You settled?"

"The firm settled. There was a one-vote margin," Harvey says, and Mike wants to smile.

"Okay. Who was the one vote?" Harvey gives him a Look, but Mike's gotten much worse from Donna and Jessica and really, they're scarier than Harvey is, so it doesn't faze him. "Who was the vote?"

"Me." Harvey looks like the answer actually pains him, and Mike lets it drop after that, talking about the files he'd set down for a minute before leaving. He's not stupid enough to push after Jessica and Harvey's exchange when Harvey was on the stand.

Besides, the fact that Harvey had voted to settle is enough for Mike right now.


End file.
